THE KABBALAH OF TIME:
Kahane and Wainer explain that the calendar is the master key to unlock the hidden rationale behind the formal structure of ancient sacred texts, as well as to understand basic mystical concepts. When comprehended within the context of the Jewish calendar, these works reveal the spiritual energy of each week, serving as a practical guide for self-analysis and development.

Wednesday, August 21, 2013

The quality
needed to acquire the Torah for this week is “who properly understands what (s)he
learns/hears.” This is also the message of Chai
Elul, in which the Alter Rebbe continued the tradition he received from his
teacher the Maggid, who in turn had received from the Baal Shem Tov. The Alter
Rebbe pondered what he learned from his teachers and organized it in the Tanya.[1]
Similarly, his knowledge of the revealed part of the Torah, was organized in
his Shulchan Aruch. The Baal Shem Tov
himself said of the Alter Rebbe that he would bring two lights (Shnei Or) into the world, in the realm
of the hidden aspects of the Torah as well as the revealed one.

This week’s
prophetess is Devorah. There is a parallel between ants and bees (soldierlike, a small part of something greater; both also have a queens). Like the ant in Book
1, Devorah also suffered from the sin of pride, which caused her to lose her
prophecy momentarily during her song. Overall, however, Devorah was extremely modest and
humble, and that is what made her worthy of becoming a prophet. About her it is
said, “The wisdom of a woman built her home.”[2]The word used here is Chochmah, which
is the sefirah related to this week.

Devorah also
represents the quality of this week in that, as a judge, it was essential that
she ponder and properly understand what she heard. We also see this quality in
the very song that she sang in the Book of Judges. In it, she ponders over
Israel’s situation at the time, the reactions of different tribes to the war,
Yael’s heroic actions, how the Jewish people asked her to sing, and the fate of
Sisera and his mother. The song also contains a “back and forth” between her
and the Jewish people, in which she hears what the Jewish people say to her (“Arise
Devorah… arise and sing a song”) and she responds.

Rebbe Yisrael Taub and his son, Shaul Yedidya Elazer Taub, the First and Second Rebbes of Modzitz

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The date also marks the yahrzeit of emmissaries Gavriel Noach and Rivky Holzberg, who died "Al Kidush Hashem" (sanctifying G-d's Holy Name), as well as the Rebbe's miraculous recovery from a massive heart attack.

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Burial Place of the Mitteler Rebbe, Rabbi Dovber of Lubavitch

His yahrzeit (and birthday) is on Tuesday, the 9th of Kislev. The following day, the 10th of Kislev, is celebrated as the day of his personal redemption.